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June is Outdoor Recreation Month when people are encouraged to explore their local outdoor spaces and trails for scenic beauty and health benefits. Elizabethtown residents don’t have to travel too far to find several easy, family-oriented trails in their piece of Mother Nature’s Playground.
1. PAVED PATH AT GREENE’S LAKE CONSERVATION PARK
This easy 1.32-mile trail circles Greene’s Lake with many scenic views. The paved path has minimal grade changes and is perfect for pushing strollers. The path links through Cape Fear Winery & Distillery, past the petting zoo, and down the rose-lined pathway.
The Park, located in the Elizabethtown Industrial Park next to the Curtis L. Brown Airfield, has two entrances. The first is right after entering the Elizabethtown Industrial Park on Aviation Parkway. The second entrance is behind Cape Fear Winery on Ben Greene Industrial Road. This entrance is closest to the restrooms and playground.
CAPE FEAR OVERLOOK TRAIL AT TORY HOLE PARK
This half-mile roundtrip trail leads walkers to two overlooks of the Cape Fear River. There are several wooden bridges to traverse and a swing for relaxing while enjoying the river. The trail can be accessed through the pavilion.
Additional trail connections lead around the 9-hole disc golf course and past the amphitheater. This trail has a little more grade to it.
Tory Hole Park’s entrance is on Hwy 701 between West Broad Street and the Cape Fear River. During the Hwy 701 bridge construction, the park can only be accessed by traveling north on Hwy 701 into town. Amenities include a playground, restrooms, and a picnic pavilion.
BEGINNERS LOOP AT BROWN CREEKS NATURE TRAIL AND BIKE PARK
This 1.05 single-track dirt trail is perfect for walkers and beginner mountain bikers. Part of a 15-plus mile trail system with various levels of difficulties, this trail is a windy path through the forest and along Brown’s Creek.
The Beginner’s Loop can be accessed at the lower parking lot of Brown’s Creek Nature Trail and Bike Park, off East Broad Street. The trail entrance is to the right of the Trail Map Sign and is marked with a green sign. Be aware that there are no restrooms at the park.
This list is provided to get people out enjoying nature within the town limits. There are many other recreational trails in Mother Nature’s Playground (Bladen County) including the multi-use path at White Lake, the trails at both Jones Lake State Park and Singletary State Park, and the Mountain to Sea Trail Segment #13. For more information on those trails, see www.mothernaturesplayround.info.
The Town of Elizabethtown has a diverse offering of parks and recreational facilities from picnic pavilions, to ball fields, and fishing spots. More information on parks and recreation in Elizabethtown can be found on their website.
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